Portsmouth is the most cost-effective city for students in the UK

Portsmouth topped the charts for student living in the UK, beating Liverpool and Newcastle as the best city to be a student and proudly sitting below the national average cost of living in the respective cities.

The index takes into account the average amount a student spends on living and accommodation in relation to their incomes. Edinburgh was ranked the most expensive city to live as a student, followed by Southampton and Cambridge.

Although the index displayed Portsmouth students pay more than most on household bills, they receive the best income in comparison to other university students- £91.27 higher than Liverpool, the second most cost-effective city.

Not only is it the most cost-effective, but the greatest for student employment and earnings. The amount of money earned through term-time work and part-time holiday work surpassed all other cities.

With more money to spend, students also pass one-third of the time socialising. Hours spent socialising were shown to have the largest impact on enjoyment of the course, meaning overall Portsmouth is the most cost-effective and one of the most sociable cities in the UK.